Hulabhaig News: May 2026
Curating the Hulabhaig Collection of Island Contemporary Art.
The end of May at Hulabhaig was a busy time, with David Knight’s exhibition closing on the 29th May, a few updates on the website and now it’s available to View Online. And now in June we quickly move on to hanging the work of Mary Morrison, ready for her solo show starting 6th June. ‘my music is the music of your stones’.
Mary Morrison
my music is the music of your stones
Opening Event: Saturday 6th June 2026 2-8pm. Meet the Artist 2-4pm.
Developing from an earlier work created for the 40th Anniversary of An Lanntair, Mary’s new work for her first solo show on the island, and on Lewis, since 2014 explores themes from the poem ‘Lewis’ by Iain Crichton Smith.
Mary’s work is informed by Geopoetics, a theory and practice developed by Scottish poet Kenneth White and is about expressing the earth through creative processes.
Free to attend and all welcome but booking is essential.
Also, over 50 artworks from The Hulabhaig Collection will be on show in the house. Why not come along for a glass of wine and a great chance to meet island artists and talk about Island Contemporary Art.
Island Exhibitions
UISGE : WATER by John Mackechnie RSA
Exhibition at An Lanntair, Stornoway: 22 May – 4 July 2026.
Founded in 1972, John Mackechnie was Director of the Glasgow Print Studio from 1983 to 2023 during which time he invited many of the leading artists of the day to work there. John Byrne, Ken Currie, Peter Howson among them.
Surface and reflection have been a recurring theme in his work for over thirty years, expressed through a passion for printmaking and photography. Light, pattern, the translucence of water and the power of the sea, without shoreline or horizon, sometimes abstract, sometimes as if you could walk right in. The movement frozen in an instant.
While his early work used photographic transfers onto etching plates, since 1999, he has combined photography and photoshopping technology with traditional screen-printing techniques.
In this new exhibition at An Lanntair he adopts a painterly, as opposed to a graphic approach. Prints might have over thirty layers of transparent, translucent and opaque colour. The finished work, often a long way from the original photograph, cannot be repeated as he keeps no record of how he got there.
My first impression on walking into the then empty exhibition space just as Roddy opened the doors at An Lanntair before the opening event was the feeling I was standing on Traigh Bhostadh (Bosta Beach), all alone on one of those warm sunny and calm days just staring into the sea.
It seems, I too can be drawn in by the artistic clichés of our islands.
And then as the gallery space filled with eager wine sipping visitors, my solitude was broken, back to reality, as if the campervans and coaches were unloading their occupants for that essential group beach selfie. Time to leave!
Books
A welcome new book for the bookshelf. And a request for his photographs…
The Hebrideans
Photographs by Gus Wylie 1974 - 2004. Introduction by Finlay Macleod.
Gus Wylie’s association with the Hebrides as photographer goes back thirty years and has been a significant force in the shaping and development of his creative output. This book is the third publication to feature his monochrome work there (the others being The Hebrides, and The Patterns of the Hebrides). It consists of 151 images taken by Gus over the last three decades, including a number from his most recent photographic essay on North and South Uist.
In the opinion of many observers the best modern photographer of the Western Isles’, Wylie’s images capture the bleak beauty and remoteness of the islands.
With an introductory essay by broadcaster and writer Finlay Macleod, a Lewisman who has accompanied Wylie on many of his expeditions across the islands, The Hebrideans is a remarkable personal and intimate tribute to a landscape and people with whom Wylie has a deep empathy, and encapsulates with rare perception the unique character of the Hebridean spirit.
Artwork Request
If anyone has any original Gus Wylie photographs, which they are willing to part with. I would be delighted to buy or aquire them for the Hulabhaig collection.Sadly Gus Wylie (1935-2026) is no longer with us. It is impossible to overstate his influence on the island’s visual arts; and to feature his photographs within the Hulabhaig collection will serve to preserve both his work and his lasting memory.
Dates for your Diary. The Byre at Hulabhaig.
Saturday 6th June to 26th June 2026
My music is the music of your stones.
Solo show of new work from Harris based Mary Morrison.
Saturday 4th July to 24 July 2026
Uinneag (Window)
New work by five female artists from across Scotland, all of whom are inspired by place and the Gaelic way of seeing.
Rosemary Everett, Angela MacGillivray, Gwen MacQuarrie, Jane G. Smith and Meg Telfer.
Saturday 8th August to 28th August 2026
Faileas (Reflected Image, Shadow...)
New work from Lewis artist Ishbel Murray.
Online Shows
Currently showing online at www.hulabhaig.com with artworks for sale from £200.
Painterly Effervescence, David Knight.
New work from Lewis based artist David Knight. Our first exhibition at the Byre, Painterly Effervescence is now viewable online.
As An Eilean Seo (Of This Island) - Sandra Kennedy
A carefully selected collection of works by island artist Sandra Kennedy to compliment the 2 artworks, A’ Coiseachd (Walking) and Aiteal (Transient View) included in the Hulabhaig collection.
Bonnie Truth - Stephan-Maria Aust
A selection of photographic works from Harris based artist Stephan-Maria Aust.
‘Bonnie Truth’ impressively combines artistic beauty and social responsibility – art that challenges viewing habits and inspires action. A work as a powerful statement in any space. Limited edition Giclée Prints on Hahnemühle Fine Art paper from £600.
Explore Hulabhaig
39 Articles | 25 Artists | 55 Artworks | 20 Exhibitions | 36 Artworks For Sale
The Hulabhaig Collection is a growing collection of Island Contemporary Art, a research project into an islands visual art identity.
The Byre at Hulabhaig is a new contemporary art space, a space for artists to explore possibilities and inspire new work, a chance to see work in a contemporary ‘White Cube’ space.
My aim as curator, it is to reach out to artists whose work is very much ‘of these islands’. I hope to meet artists, discuss ideas and influences, explore contemporary and historic issues delivered though island visual art and follow up with further research to document and share my findings.
And on the way maybe acquire some great artworks for the collection.
Thank you for following and reading about Hulabhaig. Please share as you wish and I’d encourage anyone who wishes to follow Hulabhaig to Subscribe via our website.
If you wish to view the collection, we are Open by Appointment Tuesday to Saturday, so just drop me an email to arrange a convenient time to visit.